Related videos:
A Canadian tourist identified as Kristina Avey published an extensive testimonial in the Facebook group Cuba Vacations & Resort Reviews, warning travelers from her country about the “unsafe” conditions of a hotel on the island.
Avey -who claimed to have visited the island several times before- did not mention the name of the hotel or the exact date of his stay, but he stated that his experience was the worst he has had in Cuba.
"No. Go. Here. […] This place IS NOT SAFE FOR TOURISTS", she began saying before recounting her experience in detail.
Hostile reception and alleged attempted robbery
Upon their arrival, the family did not receive the traditional welcome drink and, according to their testimony, the receptionist was "dismissive and very rude."
The situation worsened when the friends traveling with them discovered that alcoholic beverages purchased at the Duty Free had gone missing from the room where the hotel stored their luggage.
Avey claims that the staff denied any knowledge of the bottles until another employee pointed them out behind the counter.
“We are assuming that the other employee intended to steal them”, he wrote.
Upon receiving the room, they found walls with mold "painted over," which caused them congestion throughout their stay.
Violent episode in the bar: “Screw it”
Avey's husband's first attempt to have a glass of wine before dinner ended in an altercation.
In a supposedly all-inclusive hotel, the waiter insisted on purchasing the entire bottle and only accepted cash, which sparked a discussion.
“The staff said they were going to call security”, he reported.
Hours later, in the buffet, the same employee approached their table and told the husband to "f**k off," an act that the tourist described as absolutely unacceptable and made her feel "unsafe in the resort."
Closed services and scarce food
The tourist stated that there were no shows, the nightclub never opened, and the snack bar closed early.
The food options were limited to "ham and cheese sandwiches and fried plantains," except for one afternoon during the entire week when they were able to have French fries.
Although the hotel was advertised as family-friendly, dinner started at 7:00 p.m., and "we were the only ones there with children."
None of the à la carte restaurants opened during their stay.
Demotivated staff and pressure to exchange money
Avey claims that much of the staff appeared "miserable" and that they were constantly asking to exchange Canadian money, claiming that Cuban banks do not accept torn bills or those from Canada.
“Literally every staff member who approached me asked to exchange money,” he commented, describing the process as confusing and calling it into question.
Additionally, he reported that when attempting to convert Cuban pesos to Canadian dollars, they were only offered 50% of the original amount paid.
“Once again, stealing our money,” he stated.
The most serious incident: Fainting, black vomit, and missing money
The most alarming incident, Avey says, occurred one night when her husband went out for drinks with a friend. Around 11:00 p.m., she found him unconscious on the floor in front of the bedroom door.
Later, he started to vomit "black," and he couldn't speak or stand up. Two men had to help carry him to the room.
"My husband thought he was dying. [...] He insisted that he had been poisoned," she explained.
The man slept all the next day, something completely out of the ordinary, according to his wife.
Later, they discovered that he was missing 270 Canadian dollars.
A friend who was traveling with them experienced a similar incident and also lost 300 dollars.
Avey points directly at a waiter from the lobby bar: “I think my husband was drugged by a waiter.”
On his last day, his friend's husband ordered a beer and claims that the bartender took the glass to a back room and returned it without foam or carbonation.
"This is something terrifying," Avey said, recalling that it was the same employee involved in the previous incidents.
The publication concludes with a direct warning to other potential Canadian tourists in Cuba.
"Don't go here. It isn't safe for Canadians."
This testimony highlights the growing dissatisfaction among foreign tourists regarding the decline of the hotel sector in Cuba, an area deeply affected by the economic crisis and lack of state oversight, which has led to abuses, shortages, and risk situations for visitors.
The situation is complicating: Canadian tourists stranded in Cuba
The energy crisis and the shortage of aviation fuel in Cuba have left thousands of Canadian tourists stranded on the island in recent days, with canceled flights and increasing uncertainty about their return.
Airlines such as Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet have suspended their regular operations and are only operating return flights to repatriate their customers after Cuban authorities warned that there was no kerosene available for international flights for at least a month, resulting in what some describe as "total chaos" among the affected travelers.
Airlines have announced plans to bring back tourists, but the lack of fuel, power outages, and route cancellations have turned a vacation into a constant stress experience.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government urges them to confirm their flight details and avoid extending their stay amid a situation they consider "unpredictable."
Filed under: